Store-service apparatus



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. F. BAILEY. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

we NoRRls PETERS (2a., wow-mm, msnmnmu, u. a.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. F. BAILEY. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No.437,275. Patented Sept. 30. 1890.

'(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W F. BAILEY. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 437.275. Patented Sep 3 30. 1890.

.partly broken away; Fig. 2, an enlarged side UNITED. STATES j PATENTOFFICE. I

7 IVILLIAM F. BAILEY, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,27 5, datedSeptember 30, 1890.

Application filed February 4, 1886.

seen No. 190,813. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of storeservice apparatus used forcarrying cash and parcels from the salesman to the cashier and from thecashier to the salesman, and in which two tracks are used, inclined inopposite directions, the one to carry the car to the cashier and theother to carry it to the salesman; and the improvement consists incertain constructions and combinations of devices for securing andadjusting the track-wires upon a station-post, for elevating andlowering the car upon the station-post and holding the carelevator inalignment with the track-wire; in an improved device for holding the carupon the elevator and for releasing it therefrom when the said elevatoris placed in alignment with the track-wire; in an improved guardadjustably secured upon the station-post to conform to the adjustedposition of the track and prevent the derailment of the car by itsmomentum when drawn up by the elevator to the line of the track; in abuffer-plate secured to the receiving-elevator to arrest the movementand prevent the derailment of the car when received at the station; innovel means for supporting the ends of the forwarding and return trackwires at the cash-station, and for adjusting said supports'to receivethe track-wire from various angles or directions, to novel means fortransferring the cars from the forwarding to the returntracks at thecash-station, and to certain details of construction hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective of my invention,showing one of the sales-stations and a part of the cash-station withapparatus for communicating between said stations, the track wires shownelevation, showing a fragment of the upper end of the sales-stationpost, the track bracket and guard, and the forwarding-elevator in itsraised position; Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the post in the line asa; in Fig. 2, and

plan of parts below; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation in the line as m inFig. 3, showing fragments of the ends of the elevator-arms and thetrack-bracket; Fig. 5, an enlarged side elevation of the end of thepost, the bracket, and the receiving-elevator, with the latter slightlybelow its position to receive the car; Fig. 6, a section int-he line m:20 of Fig. 5; Fig.

7, an enlarged sectional elevation in the line 'g y. in Fig. 5 of atrack bracket, showing the guide-plates and socket by which theelevator-arm is guided and held; Fig. 8, an enlarged side elevation ofthe brackets and transfer-elevator and a fragment of the post at thecashiers station; Fig. 9, an elevation of the inner side of thependenttrack-bracket shown at Fig. 8; Fig. 10, a side elevation of thecar; Fig. 11, a plan of the car hanger and wheels detached from thebasket; Fig. 12, an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 11.

A single forwarding-track A and a single return-track A, inclined inopposite directions, are employed to connect the sales-stations B-ofwhich there maybe any nu mber 7 5 with the cash-station O. Thetrack-wires A A are, respectively, secured at the sales-station to theouter ends of the brackets D D, supported, respectively, upon pendentposts B B The posts B B are formed of two barsB B united, as shown atFig. 1, at their lower ends, or of a single bar bent, as shown at samefigure, to provide the shorter arm or post B carried by the longer armB, which is secured to the ceiling or other support, to hold both armsor posts in a suspended position. A forwarding-elevator E is supportedto slide upon the post 13 to elevate the car from the sales-counter tothe forwarding-track A, and a receiving-elevator E is similarlysupported to slide upon the post B to lower the car from thereturn-track to the salescounter.

The track-wires A A are secured at the cash-station to pendent bracketsF F, sup- 5 ported from horizontal rails O C and located one above theother, and a transfer-car elevator G is supported and travels upon anupright post 0 to take the cars from the track A and deliver them to thetrack A.

The elevators E and G are raised by their respective hoisting-cords H,passing over pul- ICO leys 71.. The receiving-elevator E is drawn downby a cord 11, and is elevated by a cord H passing over a pulley h, and aweight 71., which serves to hold the said elevator normally in itsraised position, in readiness to receive cars which are returned uponthe receiving-track A. Each of the posts 3 B is braced by a guy-Wire Aextending in the line of the track to one of the Walls or otherfixedpart of the building.

The bridge-brackets D D are each bowed or bent laterally at theirforward ends, as shown plainest at Fig. 3, to provide a clear space fortheir respective coaeting elevators in the line of the track at theterminus thereof, and said brackets have each a socket (l at its innerend, through which the posts 13 B respectively pass, so that eitherbracket may be adjusted in higher or lower planes on its respective postand held after adjustment by a clamp-block d and set-screw d, fitted inthe end of the socket, to bear against the post. By means of thisvertical adjustment of the brackets D D the elevation and inclination ofthe cartrack wires are adjusted as may be found necessary. The outer endof each bracket is formed into a wedge-shaped abutment-block d in theline of track to which one end of the ear-track wire is secured, andwhich also forms a guide to direct and hold the end of the car-elevator,as will hereinafter appear.

The end of the track-wire A fits in a groove d in the apex of the block(Z (see Fig. 7) and passes through a downwardly-inclined hole or passaged in said block, (see Fig. 4,) and the wire is then laced through holes(i in the flange cl of the block to hold it securely thereon.

The car-elevators E E are each composed of a ear-track arm e each ofwhich trackarms has a socket c at one end, which fits upon itsrespective post BB and each socket c is provided with rollers c, whichbear upon opposite sides of the post and red nee the jamming frictionincident to such constructions to a minimum in sliding the sleeve on thepost. The track-arms e project from the posts and have each anotch e atits projecting end to fit the groove (Z (see Fig. 7) of theabutment-block d and hold the track-arm c firmly in the line of thetrack, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The inner face of each abutment-block(1 or face which confronts the elevator, is grooved at (Z to receive thetrack wire, (see Fig. 7,) and the sides d of the groove (Z are spread orflared downwardly to deflect and guide the outer end of the elevator-armat the termination of its upward movement to its seat (1, located at thejuncture of the sides (1 of the groove immediately beneath the end ofthe track-wire. A stop block or loop I is secured and adjusted upon eachpost B B by a clamping-block z" and set-screw i to arrest the movementof the elevator-carrier when the shoulder e comes in contact with theupper part of the groove (1 and the arm e shall have been raised to itsproper height.

The arm 6 of each of the elevators E E is connected with the carriersocket-plate c by a section a projecting upwardly from saidsocket-plate, and said section 0 of the forwarding-elevator E is longerthan that of the receiving-elevator, by which means the former isinclined downwardly toward its outer end to give a starting impulse tothe car when it is raised to the track and the latter is inclined in anopposite direction.

The car 0 is held upon the inclined arm 6 of the elevator E while beingelevated by fingers I, carried on the forward end of a lever L. Thelever L is pivoted at l to the elevatorarm, and a counterbalancc-weightL, forming a rear extension of the lever L, serves to hold the fingers lto project above, and one on each side of the arm e when not otherwiseacted upon. The fin gersZ are drawn below the level of the track whenthe elevator-arm c is raised by a laterally-projecting lug (1 upon theside of the bracket D, which comes in contact with a similarlaterally-pro j ecting lug Z on the lever L, and thus releases the carand allows it to roll down the inclined arm of the elevator to the trackA. A guard M has a socket on, bearing black m, and set-screw m upon oneof its ends, by whichit may be adjusted upon and fixed after adjustmentto the post B, and when properly adjusted will prevent the car frombeing thrown from the elevator by the sudden arrest of the upwardmovement of the elevator. An eye m in the end of the plate M near thepost B provides a clear passage and guide for the cord II of theforwardingelevator and permits said cord to be drawn directly from theupper end of said elevator to the pulley located immediately above it.

The arm of the reeeiving-elevatorE is supported so as to inclinedownwardly toward the post 13*, and has a depression c near its innerend, in which one of the wheels of the car rests, and has a buffer-plateN secured thereto in rear of said depression. The plate N partlyencircles the car-wheel and serves to stop the car when received on theelevator E. \Vhen the car strikes the butter N, its tendencyis to runback and to raise the wheel next the buffer elf the track. This will beprevented by said wheel being forced into the depression e by the curvedbull'er N. The plate N is padded with leather or other suitable materialn to deaden the noise and ease the shock arising from the concussion.

The transfer-elevator G has two parallel arms or brackets which projectfrom an upright section g, having carrier-sleeves and friction-rollersg, preferably at both its upper and lower ends, which travel upon anupright post 0 at the cash-station. The arms g have depressions andheifer-plates N, similar to those upon the elevator E, to arrest themovement of the car and hold it upon the brackets g while being used totransfer the car.

F F are pendent track-terminals at the cashiers station, and areadjustably supported, as hereinafter described, on rods or bars 0 C theone above the other. Each pendant F is bowed or curved laterally at itslower end, and there carries an abutmentblock F, to which the end of thetrack-wire is secured, and which is constructed in same .manner as thatdescribed with reference to the abutment-blocks of the brackets D D,except that the deflector sides f (see Fig. 9) of the keeper f areinclined in opposite directions from the center to deflect the arm g ofthe elevator when moving both upwardly and downwardly to seat itself foradjustment to the line of the track. The transfer-arms g are thusadapted to move vertically between the track-wires at the cash-station,and the upper arm will take the place of the lower arm at theforwarding-track Awhen the lower arm is lowered to the return-track A,and thus be in position to receive any cars which may be sent to thecashiers station over the track A while the lower arm is depressed.

Each pendant F has a laterally-projecting lug or arm f and a socket-headF which can be adjusted on the bars 0 or O and secured after adjustmentby a set-screw f The head F has a lateral'projection f and is secured tothe pendent part of the bracket by a pivotbolt and nut F which passesthrough the lugs f 2 and f*, on which bolt the pendent part of thebracket turns, and whereby it may be adjusted and held after adjustmentby the bolt F for connection with any one of the track-wires, whichradiate in various directions from the central station.

The car 0 consists of a wire basket 0', aT shaped hanger O and wheels 0journaled upon axles 0 which axles are secured to the ends of thehorizontal arms of the hanger 0 The basket is clamped between the lowerends of the vertical arm of the hanger O and a plate 0 secured togetherby rivets O. The ends of the horizontal arms of the hanger 0 have ears 0located upon opposite sides of the wheels 0 to support the ends of theaxles O and have ears 0 which project downwardly therefrom to underlapthe flanges of the wheels, and are spread in opposite directions to formboth guards and deflectors for the wheels and permit the car to bereadily hooked upon the elevator arm or track and prevented from beingthrown off or derailed therefrom by ordinary causes.

At Fig. 1 the elevator is shown in full lines at its lower position,where the car 0 with its contents can be placed on it, as also shown byfull lines. By drawing on the free end of the cord H the elevator willbe hoisted to the position shown by dotted lines at same figure, wherethe detent-lever L will be tripped, as also shown, and as hereinbeforedescribed, and the car by its own gravity will then rum down theinclined bridge-bracket D to the inclined track A and thence to thecashiers station, where it will be received on a bracket g.

The cashier when ready will then slide the elevator G on the post 0until the bracket g which carries the car will coincide with the trackA, when the car may be started on said track A, which will carry it toand deliver it on the bracket E, which is placed to rece ve it, as shownby full lines at Fig. 1, and which may be lowered, as shown by dottedlines at same figure, by means of the cord H to bring the car withinreach of the salesman.

I claim as my invention and desire to sethe parallel bars B B suspendedfrom the ceiling and united at their lower ends, the bridge-brackets DD, track-wires A A, secured to said brackets, and stay-wires A securedto the building and to the posts 13 B substantially as described.

3. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with thestation-post and track-wire, of a bridge-bracket D, having anabutment-block (1 formed with a groove d, and a passage d for the wire,which is supported in said groove and passage and secured to the block61 substantially as described.

4. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with astation-post and an elevator having a car-track arm, of a bridgebracketD, having an abutment-block d, formed with a groove for the car-trackwire, and a guide-groove for the elevator-track arm, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with astation-post and an elevator adapted to slide thereon and provided witha notch e in its outer end, of a bridge-bracket D, having anabutment-head 1 to which the car-track wire is secured, and aguide-groove (1 terminating with a stopshoulder c1 substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

6. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with astationpost and an elevator having a car-track arm, of a bridgebracketbent or bowed laterally at one end and provided at its outer end with anabutment to which the wire track is secured and a guide-groove for theelevator-track arm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with astation-post and an elevator having a car-track arm provided with acar-holding tilting lever, of a bridge-bracket bent or bowed laterallyat one end and provided at its outer end with an abutment to which thewire trackis secured, a guide-groove for the elevator-track arm, and atrip to operate the car-holding lever, substantially as described.

8. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with thestation-post, of the bridge bracket, the track secured to the bracket, acar-elevator, a lever L, provided with a detent, a car, and theguard-plate M, secured to the post, adapted to be adjusted above theline of the track to prevent the car from being derailed when it iselevated, substantially as described.

9. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, in combination, thestation-post B, the bracket D, the wire track A, the car-elevator E, thedctent-lever L, the lifting-cord H, and the guard M, having a cord-guideeye m", substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the station-post and track, of thebridgebracket D, bent laterally at its forward end and having alaterally-p roj ectin g lug 1, and a retaining-arm or detentdever L,pivoted to the elevator-track. arm at its mid-length portion, havingfingers l and a laterally-projecting lug P, which engages with and isadapted to be tripped by the lug upon said bracket, substantially asdescribed.

11. The combination of the post, the track, the bridge-bracket, andacar-elevator having a track-arm 6 with a depression c adapted to beguided upon the station-post, said elevator having also a buffer-plate Nsecured thereto and formed to partly encircle and extended over thewheel of the car, substantially as described.

12. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with theforwarding and return tracks, of the pendants F, located one above theother and suspended from horizontal bars C 0 for supporting theterminals of said track, and a transfer-elevator adapted to move betweensaid track-terminals, substantially as described.

13. A cash and parcel carrier apparatus comprising the forwarding andreturn tracks at the cash-station, a vertical post located opposite thetrack-terminals, and a transferelevator having arms 9 g, which project,respectively, from the upper and lower ends of an upright section g,supported and guided upon the post to move between the track-terminals,substantially as described.

It. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, comprising, with theforwarding and return tracks of the cash-station, brackets F andabutment-blocks F, having a keeper f, with both upwardly and downwardlyinclined sides, a guide-post C, and the transfer-elevator G, having arms(1 g, which engage with either and both of the bracket-abutmcnts,substantially as described.

15. In a cash and parcel carrier apparatus, the combination, with thetrack-wire, of the horizontal bar 0, bracket-sleeve F adjustablethereon, bracket F, suspended therefrom and swiveled thereon, apivot-bolt F located vertically above the track-terminal, the guidepostC and a transfer-elevator, combined and arranged substantially as andfor the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I allix m y signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM F. BAILEY. *ituesses:

II. E. IIUs'rED, If. M. RICHARDS.

